Sunday, November 17, 2024

Don't Make a Scene: The Godfather Part II

The Story: Up until The Godfather Part III (or as it's now known The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone) this last scene from The Godfather Part II was the last we would have seen of Mafia chieftain Michael Corleone, who—as that particular film makes plain—has a path as Mafia Don far different from that of his father, Vito.

The previous Don managed to keep his family (only to see it torn asunder by the events of the first "Godfather" movie) while his son, in an effort to protect his father, sacrifices his future...and his family...for a security that may never exist, especially as his trade involves organized crime.

At the end, it is apparent that Michael, now aging, is isolated, alone, and without his wife and children...as far as blood relatives, he's managed to have killed quite a few of them. At the time the film was released, there was no doubt that Michael, in his quest for power, has lost everything, and the future that he had such high hopes for (in his youth) would never come to be despite his ambitions and earlier protestations. Oh, it's true that he wouldn't become a man like his father...but, one suspects that he never suspected that he would be worse.

But, that last scene reveals the "Godfather Saga" to be a tragedy (despite the lionization of "Godfather culture" among fans). There is no triumph in gaining power if you lose everything else. And, if The Godfather Part II wasn't abundantly clear in that point, Coppola's return to the story for Part III/Coda made it unambiguous and twisted the dagger of Fate. 

But, I remember this scene of Michael reflecting on the time when he "broke" with the Family, and remember being elated that they got so many people back from the first movie for the flashback: James Caan's Sonny, Gianni Russo's Carlo Rizzi, and Abe Vigota's Tessio. And then you realize with a thump that two of those characters died on Michael's orders, as did John Cazale's Fredo in events of Part II. Maybe it isn't so much a flashback as a "haunt." 

But, if you read all the way to the end, what we got on-screen at the end of Part II isn't what was originally written for the movie. What's on-screen is superb. What the plan was, though, is much richer.
 
Also, apologies for the racial slurs. But, the people uttering them are violent mobsters, so please put that in context. Don't end up like Sonny...or Michael.
 
The Set-up: It is 1961. The main branch of the Corleone Family has moved from New York to Lake Tahoe with their business in Las Vegas. But, the cost has been huge: Mike Pentangelli (Michael V. Gazzo), the last of the Corleone capo's in New York is dead; Mama Corleone (Morgana King) has died of natural causes; Kay Corleone (Diane Keaton) has divorced The Don, Michael (Al Pacino); and Michael has ordered and had carried out the death of his last remaining blood-brother, Fredo (John Cazale). Alone in his Lake Tahoe retreat, Michael contemplates what has become of his family...and him.
 
Action.
 
MICHAEL sits down in the boat house
DISSOLVE TO: 1941 the Corleone family is sitting at the table in the kitchen.
SONNY
Hey 
SONNY ...
everybody come on pay attention. Come here. 
SONNY
EVERYONE this is my friend CARLO RIZZI.
[CARLO RIZZI walks in.]
SONNY
This is my brother FREDO -- oh you know FREDO sure don't you.
FREDO (Sure)
SONNY
This is my step brother TOM. 
SONNY
That's his uh, girl Theresa. 
SONNY
And this cute little thing over here -- this is my sister CONNIE. I was telling you about her, huh. 
SONNY
Come on say hello to CARLO. 
SONNY
He's good looking isn't he?
CONNIE Yes.
SONNY
Oh, that droopy thing over there -- 
SONNY that's my brother Mike. 
SONNY
We call him JOE College, you know what I mean. 
SONNY
Go ahead. Sit down. Talk to each other.
TOM
Sit down.
SONNY
Hey, Mr. Einstein... 
(It's a) joke.
[Salvatore TESSIO walks in.]
 
TESSIO
Here's the cake. 
TOM
Hey, Sally, get in here!  
TESSIO
I was scared -- I was scared. 
TESSIO
Where's your father?  
TOM
We sent him on a wild goose chase -- Christmas shopping.
CONNIE
Here..
SONNY Oh, let's see that thing.  
[TESSIO reveals the cake.]
CONNIE
Beautiful!
 
SONNY Oh, golly that's nice. Huh.  
CONNIE
Should I put the candles on now.  
SONNY Yea go on -- 
SONNY
you help her, right CARLO.  
CARLO Sure.  
[SONNY takes a lick of the frosting.]
MICHAEL
How are you, Sal?
SONNY
Hey what is that, rum? 
TESSIO
Yea.  
SONNY Boy that's good.
SONNY
Hey...
[SONNY wipes some on TOM.]
TOM
Hey, get outta here.
[Then touches some pasta.]
 
CONNIE Hey SONNY don't touch the ante-pasta until Pop gets here.
[Fredo slaps his wrist]
 
[He begins to mock-fight with FREDO.]
TOM
He's not ugly! 
(TOM laughs)
 
SONNY Yea, come on.  
[SONNY sits down and begins to smoke.]
 
SONNY
Ah, say -- what do you think of the nerve of those Japs -- those slanty eyed bastards, huh. 
SONNY
Dropping bombs in out back yard -- and on Pops birthday ya know.  
FREDO 
Aw, they didn't know it was Pop's birthday.  
SONNY
"
They didn't know it was Pop's (birthday)." 
TOM
Well, we should have expected it after the oil embargo.  
SONNY
What do you mean expect it -- expect it or not they have no right dropping bombs. What are you a Jap lover or something -- are you on their side? 
TESSIO
I understand thirty thousand men enlisted this morning. 
SONNY
A bunch of saps.  
MICHAEL
Why are they saps?  
CONNIE
SONNY come on we don't have to talk about the war.  
SONNY
 
Hey beat it -- you go talk to CARLO alright. 
SONNY
They're saps because they risk their lives for strangers.
MICHAEL
Now that's Pop talking.
SONNY
You're god damn right that's Pop talking.
MICHAEL
They risk, they risk their lives for their country.
SONNY
Your country's not your blood -- 
SONNY
you remember that. 
MICHAEL
I don't feel that way.  
SONNY "I don't feel that way.."
SONNY
Well if you don't feel like that why don't you just quit college and go to -- go to join the Army. 
MICHAEL
I did -- 
MICHAEL
I enlisted in the Marines.  
[Everyone is silent.]
 
TOM
MICHAEL why -- why didn't you come to us? 
MICHAEL
What do you mean?
TOM
I mean Pop had to pull a lot of strings to get you a deferment.
MICHAEL I didn't ask for it.  
MICHAEL
I didn't ask for a deferment -- and I didn't want it.  
[SONNY punches MICHAEL and begins to get in a fight.]
 
SONNY
What's wrong... 
TOM
Come on, come on knock it off. 
TESSIO
SONNY --  
SONNY
Punk! 
TESSIO
SONNY -- SONNY sit down.  
SONNY
Go on! 
TESSIO Sit down. Siddown. 
KATHRYN CORLEONE (One of Sonny's twins) Mommy, 
KATHRYN CORLEONE (One of Sonny's twins)Daddy's fighting again.  
SONNY
Go show CARLO the tree.
KATHRYN CORLEONE (One of Sonny's twins)
Go Ahead!
 
FRANCESCA CORLEONE (One of Sonny's twins)
-- Uncle MICHAEL, MAMA. Daddy!
SONNY
Nice -- nice -- 
SONNY
break your father's heart on his birthday.
FREDO
That's swell, Mike -- 
FREDO
congratulations.  
SONNY
That's right, go on, encourage him. 
SONNY
I want -- I want you to get me a drink -- 
SONNY
Go on.
TOM
Mikey...
 
TOM
Now you don't understand but, uh, 
TOM
your father has plans for you. Now many times he and I have talked about your future.  
MICHAEL
Talked to my father about my future?
TOM (quietly)
Yeah.

MICHAEL
My future.
TOM
Mikey, he has high hopes for you. 
MICHAEL
Well I have my own plans for my future.  
SONNY
What'd you go to collage to get stupid? You're really stupid.  
CONNIE
He's here, come on.  
[Everybody but MICHAEL walks out.]
 
SONNY
Come on -- 
SONNY
come on -- 
SONNY
stupid! 
[MICHAEL sits alone at the table while the rest are heard in the distance waiting to their surprise the Godfather.] 
EVERYONE
Surprise! -- 
EVERYONE
For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow
EVERYONE
that nobody can deny -- 
EVERYONE
that nobody can deny 
DISSOLVE TO: 
VITO holding MICHAEL's hand 
and waving good bye in Sicily. 
DISSOLVE TO: 
MICHAEL sitting alone at the compound.
FADE TO BLACK 
THE END OF "THE GODFATHER PART II" 
 
 
Words by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola 


The Godfather Part II is available on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4k UHD from Paramount Home Video.

Interestingly, this is not how The Godfather Part II originally ended. Things change when making a movie, though. Like Marlon Brando doesn't show up for his one day of shooting as the Don and it has to be re-written...that day. Or maybe make-up doesn't work the way you think it will. Or Al Pacino wants a re-write. Richard Castellano wants more money and to write his part. For all sorts of reasons, things changed. As did the originally scripted ending. There's a lot that's similar. There's a LOT that's different and those things incorporate things from the original Godfather, and also things that would not be discussed again until the writing of The Godfather Part III.
 
This is the SECOND DRAFT 
dated September 24, 1973

MED. VIEW The peninsula of the private Corleone Harbor. We see the figures of two people, seated at a table. 
MED. VIEW Michael sits at a table having a sparse lunch. He is attended by his sister Connie, who seems to be the closest person now living on the estate with him. We see from the way she pampers him with his lunch, that she has fallen into the role of a surrogate Mother-Wife. He seems older than his years, as though his illness, diabetes, has taken its toll. 
CONNIE Don't worry; I'm sure he got here on time. The roads from the airport are so windy, it takes forever; I've driven them myself. 
She picks up some of the serving plates that he has left untouched. 
CONNIE I'll bring him out to you as soon as he comes. 
She moves back to the main house. 
 
MED. CLOSE VIEW ON MICHAEL 
He turns and looks at the rough water of the lake for a moment. He slowly takes a sip of wine. 
 
EXT. A PLACE IN THE GARDEN - DAY 
There are a few chairs. 
 
MED. VIEW ON ANTHONY CORLEONE 
He is eighteen years old. 
ANTHONY Hello, Dad. 
VIEW ON MICHAEL squinting up at his son. 
MICHAEL Anthony. 
He rises, and reaches up to his son, who is now taller than he; he embraces him. 
MICHAEL You've grown so tall... so tall in the last year. You're much taller than me. 
ANTHONY I was taller than you when I was fourteen. 
MICHAEL Sit down. Your Aunt Connie and I waited for you to have some lunch, but now it's all dried out. 
ANTHONY I'm not hungry. 
MICHAEL Well, that's alright... alright. Good. You'll graduate in another year, isn't that right? You know... I never finished college. I was a good student, but I never finished. Of course, there was a war then. 
Connie approaches them. 
CONNIE Don't let me interrupt anything, this will just take a second. Here.
(she takes out a small needle, and begins to prepare it) 
CONNIE Your father has to have his insulin shot. Why don't you go to your room and put your things away, Anthony. 
She begins to give Michael the shot. 
MICHAEL Hurry back; we'll talk. We'll talk. 
Anthony goes on his way to the house with his things. Connie gives Michael the shot. 
CONNIE Whenever I see that lake so cold, I think of poor Fredo, drowned. Lake Tahoe is very cold. They say if a person drowns in it, that the body will remain mid-suspended -- perfectly preserved. Some say it will remain forever. 
She finishes the shot, puts her things away. 
CONNIE Your boy will be right back. 
She leaves. 
VIEW ON MICHAEL Alone in the garden. 
OUR VIEW begins to MOVE CLOSER to him. We begin to HEAR MUSIC of the forties; happy music, swing music, as we move CLOSER to Michael. 
 
DISSOLVE TO: INT. OLD CORLEONE HOUSE - MED. VIEW - NIGHT 
SONNY CORLEONE, his arm wrapped around a smiling red-faced Carlo Rizzi, pulls him into the Corleone dining room. 
SONNY Hey, who knows my buddy Carlo Rizzi. Here... my brother Fredo, here's my Mom. Mom, whatcha got cooking? And Carlo, this is my kid sister Connie. Here, pull up a chair, Carlo is sitting next to Connie. Oh, the droopy kid over there is Mike. The college boy. 
An older, lanky man enters the room, his arms laden with presents. 
SONNY This is TESSIO. 
TESSIO Buon Natale, everybody. Buon Natale... (he smiles at Tom Hagen) Hi, Tom, how's every little thing? 
HAGEN (helping him with the presents) Wonderful, Sal. 
Now the study door opens, and DON CORLEONE enters. 
DON CORLEONE Is dinner ready? 
MOM Two minutes. 
The Don happily regards his family; his sons and daughters and even some Grandchildren. He raises a glass. 
DON CORLEONE A good life, a long life to all my children, and friends. To my grandchildren, and those that will be. To our family. 
They all drink. They refill glasses; then Tessio proposes a toast. 
TESSIO To our Godfather. 
They all drink. 
 
INT. THE DINING ROOM - MED. VIEW - NIGHT 
The family is happily at Christmas dinner. Don Corleone seated at the head of the table. 
SONNY What'd you think of those Japs, eh? The nerve of those Japs, coming right here in our own backyard dropping bombs! 
HAGEN Well, we could have expected it after the embargo. 
SONNY Hey! Expect it or not, those Japs don't have a right to drop bombs in our backyard. Whose side you on? 
MAMA Please, do we have to talk about the war at the table? On Christmas, much less. 
 
VIEW ON MICHAEL He has been listening to this discussion. 
MICHAEL Pop, I've decided I'm going to enlist. 
A quiet hush descends over the table, as though everyone knows the effect this will have on the old man. Sonny tries to make light of it. 
SONNY Kid, stay in college. The girls are cuter, if you know what I mean. 
HAGEN Pop had to pull a lot of strings to get you your deferment. 
MICHAEL I never asked for it; I don't want it. 
VIEW ON DON CORLEONE Disturbed; but wise and prudent. 
DON CORLEONE My son wants to talk about this, and so we'll talk, but not at the dinner table. 
He rises, and starts across the room toward his study. Then he looks back. 
DON CORLEONE Michael. 
He disappears into his study. Michael rises, glances around. People are generally tense over the situation. Michael follows his father into the study. 
 
INT. DON CORLEONE'S OLD STUDY - NIGHT 
The Don closes the door behind his son, and then moves across the room. He stops at the little bar there, and pours himself a brandy. 
DON CORLEONE Would you like some? 
MICHAEL No, Dad. 
DON CORLEONE Now what is this talk about joining the army? Eh? 
MICHAEL It's not talk; I'm doing it. 
DON CORLEONE You would risk your life for strangers? 
MICHAEL Not for strangers; for my country. 
DON CORLEONE Anyone not in your family, is a stranger. Believe me, when trouble comes, your country won't take care of you. 
MICHAEL That's how it was in the old world, Pop, but this is not Sicily. 
DON CORLEONE I know. I know, Michael. It's Christmas, your brothers and sister are all here -- we are happy. Let's not spoil this. Go your own way, but when you are ready, come to me the way a son should. I have hopes for you... 
CLOSE VIEW ON MICHAEL looking at his father with a mixture of great love, and also fear, and confusion. 
MICHAEL I won't be a man like you. 
 
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. THE TAHOE ESTATE - HIGH FULL VIEW - DAY 
The leaves are blowing. MUSIC comes up.
Michael and his young son, Anthony, walk through the grounds of the estate, talking about things we cannot hear.